5 Stocks to Watch: Week of 5/18/2026

We've got a stellar list of stocks to watch this week, including:

• Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC (JAZZ) — #1 biotech stock with elite analyst conviction.
• Neurocrine Biosciences (NBIX) — 2,425% EPS growth fuels 61% upside potential.
• Tapestry (TPR) — Coach owner crushes earnings with 246% ROE.
• Newmont Corp (NEM) — Gold giant eyes 48% upside with 44% profit margins.
• Cenovus Energy Inc (CVE) — Canadian oil leader poised for 51% upside surge.

Let's get to it.

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1- Neurocrine Biosciences Inc (NASDAQ: NBIX)

This fast-growing pharmaceutical powerhouse — armed with blockbuster treatments for tardive dyskinesia and congenital adrenal hyperplasia — just delivered a stunning Q1 2026 earnings beat with 42% year-over-year revenue growth. Now, with the pending acquisition of Soleno Therapeutics on the table, NBIX is set for major portfolio expansion and extended growth runways that have Wall Street buzzing.

Zen Rating: Strong Buy (A) — see full analysis

Recent Price: $159.05 — get current quote

Max 1-year forecast: $246.00

Why we're watching:

• Analyst support: 19 analysts cover NBIX with 10 Strong Buy ratings, 6 Buy ratings, and only 3 Hold ratings, demonstrating strong conviction across the Street. See the ratings
• Piper Sandler's David Amsellem (a top 5% rated analyst) raised his price target to $207 following Q1 earnings, noting the stock's risk/reward profile is "highly attractive" and trades at just 9x the firm's 2027 pro forma EBITDA estimate in the context of a company that will soon have three assets with lengthy exclusivity runways.
• The company reported impressive Q1 2026 results with EPS of $1.97 beating estimates, revenue of $814.5M (up 42.25% year-over-year), and remarkable year-over-year EPS growth of 2,362.5%, driven by continued strong demand for INGREZZA and CRENESSITY.
• Industry ranking context: NBIX is currently the #2 highest-rated stock in the Pharmaceutical industry (out of 52), which carries a B rating, demonstrating exceptional positioning in a solid sector.
• Zen Rating highlights: As a Strong Buy-rated stock, NBIX is in a class of equities that have historically delivered 32.52% annual returns. 
• Component Grades: The company's A-grade Value and Financials scores combined with B grades in Growth, Sentiment, and AI demonstrate exceptional operational execution and market positioning. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here)

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2. Tapestry (NYSE: TPR)

The global luxury accessories powerhouse behind Coach, Kate Spade, and Stuart Weitzman is defying retail headwinds in spectacular fashion. After Q3 2026 earnings crushed expectations and prompted a raised full-year guidance, TPR is proving that consumer demand for its viral Tabby bags and premium products is here to stay — with Coach driving exceptional performance across the portfolio.

Zen Rating: Strong Buy (A) — see full analysis

Recent Price: $130.24 — get current quote

Max 1-year forecast: $200.00

Why we're watching:

• Analyst support: 11 analysts cover TPR with 7 Strong Buy ratings, 3 Buy ratings, and only 1 Hold, reflecting widespread confidence in the luxury brand portfolio's trajectory. See the ratings
• For example, JP Morgan's Matthew Boss (a top 10% rated analyst) maintained his Street-high $200 price target, which suggests over 50% upside potential in the coming year. Boss emphasized the company's innovative product offerings and strong customer loyalty as driving forces for future growth.
• UBS analyst Jay Sole (top 9%) recently upgraded TPR to Strong Buy with a $187 price target, citing the company's brand strength and global market reach positioning it well for continued expansion.
• Industry ranking context: TPR ranks #1 in the Luxury industry, which carries an excellent A rating, demonstrating strong positioning in a high-performing sector, and the company ranks in the top 5% of all stocks tracked by the Zen Ratings system.
• Zen Rating highlights: Strong Buy (A) stocks average +32.52%/yr, putting TPR in a class of top-notch performers.
• Component Grades: Looking at the Component Grades that build that overall rating, the company earns top marks with A grades in Sentiment and Financials (top 10% and top 12% percentile rankings respectively), plus solid B grades in Growth and from our proprietary AI factor, which sifts through mountains of data to detect subtle patterns that could lead to outperformance. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here)

3- Cenovus Energy (NYSE: CVE)

This Canadian integrated oil and gas powerhouse — with extensive oil sands assets in Alberta and refining operations in the U.S. — is firing on all cylinders. Trading near its 52-week high with momentum building across the energy sector, CVE offers prime exposure to crude oil production backed by strong analyst conviction following recent earnings strength.

Zen Rating: Strong Buy (A) — see full analysis

Recent Price: $30.15 — get current quote

Max 1-year forecast: $45.00

Why we're watching:

• Analyst support: Unanimous bullish sentiment with 1 Strong Buy and 1 Buy rating from 2 covering analysts, both ranked in the top tier of energy analysts. See the ratings
• Let’s take a closer look at a few of those ratings. First up we have Goldman Sachs' Neil Mehta (a top 5% rated analyst) recently maintained his Strong Buy rating following a deep dive into the Energy sector, citing recent issues in the Middle East as a catalyst for price target adjustments within U.S. Majors and Canadian Oils.
• Then we have RBC Capital's Gregory Pardy (top 8%) maintains a Buy rating with a $45 price target, representing over +49% upside potential from current levels.
• Earnings beta: The company recently beat Q1 earnings estimates on higher upstream production, demonstrating operational execution as management targets a 1 million BOE/day exit rate.
• Industry ranking context: Cenovus is currently the 2nd highest-rated stock in the Oil & Gas Integrated industry, which has an Industry Rating of A.
• Zen Rating highlights: Strong Buy (A) stocks average +32.52%/yr, putting CVE in a class of historical outperformers. 
• Component Grades: The company demonstrates solid strength in two key areas: Momentum, where it earns and A, and Financials, where it earns a B. That tells you the stock is not only outperforming most of the market right now, but the underlying business fundamentals are strong enough to support the move. In other words, this isn’t just hype-driven price action — there’s real operational strength underneath it. See all 7 Zen Component Grades here

4- Newmont Corp (NYSE: NEM)

As the world's leading gold mining company with operations spanning four continents, Newmont is striking gold — literally. With gold prices hitting multi-year highs and a stunning 44.6% profit margin fueling operational strength, NEM offers investors exposure to precious metals at an attractive valuation that has Wall Street analysts piling on the bullish calls.

Zen Rating: Strong Buy (A) — see full analysis

Recent Price: $116.33 — get current quote

Max 1-year forecast: $176.00

Why we're watching:

• Analyst support: Strong backing from 6 analysts with 2 Strong Buy and 4 Buy ratings, reflecting broad confidence in the company's growth trajectory and market position. See the ratings
• CiBC's Anita Soni (a top 4% rated analyst) recently maintained her Buy rating with the highest price target of $176, representing nearly +51% upside potential.
• UBS analyst Daniel Major (top 8%) and ScotiaBank's Tanya Jakusconek (top 7%) both maintain bullish ratings, citing the company's strong free cash flow generation of $3.8B and industry-leading profit margins.
• The company's earnings are forecast to grow 37% year-over-year to $10.63 per share, with revenue projected to increase 16.6% to $29.1B, outpacing many peers in the Gold industry.
• Industry ranking context: Newmont is currently the 8th highest-rated stock in the Gold industry, which has an Industry Rating of B.
• Zen Rating highlights: Newmont isn’t just one of the top gold stocks — it’s one of the top stocks we track, period. It earns a Zen Rating of A, reflecting solid fundamentals across 115 factors proven to drive stock growth. 
• Component Grades: The company earned an A grade in Financials, reflecting its robust 44.6% profit margin and strong balance sheet with a conservative 0.65 debt-to-equity ratio, while Value (B) and Momentum (B) grades indicate a potentially attractive entry point and positive technical trends. See all 7 Zen Component Grades here

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Wall Street has issued a chilling warning for anyone with money in the U.S. stock market right now. Top analysts at these banks say a big event is coming that could both wipe out the market and keep it down for 10 years or longer. What can you do? A new tech breakthrough from a firm in Baltimore, Maryland may hold the answer.

Learn more.

5- Jazz Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: JAZZ)

This leading biopharmaceutical powerhouse just delivered a Q1 earnings beat and scored FDA priority review acceptance for Ziihera — fueling its aggressive pivot into high-growth oncology markets while staying dominant in rare diseases. The neurological and psychiatric treatment specialist is making bold moves that have Wall Street paying close attention.

Zen Rating: Strong Buy (A) — see full analysis

Recent Price: $231.05 — get current quote

Max 1-year forecast: $275.00

Why we're watching:

• Analyst support: 12 analysts cover JAZZ with 7 Strong Buy ratings, 4 Buy ratings, and only 1 Hold, reflecting strong conviction in the company's growth trajectory. See the ratings
• Truist Securities' Joon Lee (a top 2% rated analyst) maintained a Strong Buy rating with a $230 price target, citing strong pipeline progress and robust growth strategy following the recent earnings report.
• Barclays researcher Etzer Darout (top 2%) emphasized Jazz's competitive edge in niche markets, noting that the company is well-positioned against competitors with anticipated regulatory approvals for pipeline drugs serving as near-term catalysts.
• Needham's Ami Fadia (top 1%) and RBC Capital's Leonid Timashev (top 6%) both highlight the company's potential expansion into underserved rare disease markets, with continued success expected to accelerate revenue growth.
• Industry ranking context: JAZZ is currently the #1 highest-rated stock in the Biotech industry, despite the industry receiving an F rating overall, demonstrating the company's exceptional positioning in a challenging sector.
• Zen Rating highlights: Strong Buy (A) stocks average +32.52%/yr. JAZZ is part of this elite tier of stocks. 
• Component Grades: The company earns A grades for both Value and Growth, with solid B grades in Financials and Momentum, indicating strong fundamentals and attractive valuation despite recent price appreciation. (See all 7 Zen Component Grades here)

What to Do Next?

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